


You Were Never In Control

by PowerBurger



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Gender-Neutral Frisk, Post-Soulless Pacifist Route
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-17
Packaged: 2018-05-20 18:35:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6020680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PowerBurger/pseuds/PowerBurger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two's company, three's a crowd. Another spirit shares Frisk's headspace alongside Chara, and needless to say, Chara isn't pleased. It's especially grating when this spirit is determined to keep Chara on the straight and narrow. After countless resets, their patience runs thin, and they need an opening. Chara wants control back. So, they decide to take a gamble...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Yet Another Ending

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Undertale fic, so I hope I'm doing this fandom justice! Any constructive criticism is more than welcome, and thank you for being here!
> 
> 7/8/2016 Update: I've finally returned to working on this as a side project! Chapters 1-3 have been heavily rewritten, and I plan to update as frequently as possible! Well, as soon as college gets less busy of course, haha.

The barrier had been broken. The monsters left their underground home with the human leading the way. As they gazed upon the sunset, words were said, and Frisk agreed to be the ambassador. Papyrus ran off to make a great first impression, and it wasn’t long before the others left Toriel and Frisk alone.

As Asgore awkwardly walked away, Toriel turned to Frisk.

“Frisk…” Toriel started, a look of resigned peace in her eyes. Frisk turned and looked at her, sensing the longing within his guardian.

“You came from this world, right…?” She asked. Frisk nodded. “So you must have a place to return to, do you not? What will you do now?”

Frisk, without hesitation, made their decision.

“Ah … I see.” Toriel said, turning away from Frisk. There was a moment of silence and an air of disappointment surrounded Toriel. It passed, as she remembered that Frisk was a free spirit, and that she shouldn’t blame them.

“Well, I hope that I am not keeping you,” Toriel said with a sad smile on her face. As she slowly walked off, she turned back to them. After a moment, she spoke.

“Frisk. ‘See you around,’” she managed, before rushing after the others. She wouldn’t let her child see the tears in her eyes.

 

* * *

 

With that, another run has been completed! As Frisk walked towards the destination they'll never reach, I figuratively patted myself on the back. Eighth time in a row that Frisk hasn't suffered any damage, three more and I'll beat my record. Theoretically, that record should be much higher, but I digress. I've long since memorized every pattern of every monster that exists anyway, except for Flowey who doesn't seem to have a pattern.

As usual, I'm thoroughly exhausted from the journey through the Underground. It doesn't bother me though, I'm quite used to it at this point. It just comes with the territory of controlling a child's body that'll never grow is all. With each reset, Frisk naturally loses all of their stamina that I work hard to build for them. As a result, they fail to get any stronger. From my point of view, it's actually a blessing in disguise. I'd rather keep things the way they were from the get-go, even if it means the journey will never get any easier. It's... it's a personal thing, a memory I'd like to preserve.

Anyway, the reset should happen any minute, it always happens at around this time. Time itself resetting to a point, everyone's lives and experiences vanishing in an instant, is just a daily thing for me. The one thing I've never figured out is when it actually happens, and it's a very peculiar feeling I'm sure I'll never get used to. To put it in perspective, try to pinpoint the exact moment you fell asleep last night. One moment I'm walking on autopilot towards civilization, the next I'm waking up in that bed of flowers. It's a fact of life I've learned to accept, even if I'm not exactly alive.  

Oh, right, I'm dead. I don't think that needs explaining, considering Frisk's body isn't my own. Nobody knows I exist, except for one person of course.

I've considered many, many times whether my role in this world is worth anything. In the end, I've decided that it's better than not existing at all. There's one thing I've yet to accomplish, and that is to set my old friend straight. It's a long story, although I have no problems explaining it! It's just that I need to address said friend first, before the reset kicks in. 

 _So, that’s that. How was that ending?_ I asked, as cheerfully as I could. 

 **…So-so** , my always-optimistic companion replied.

_Oh, come on. You were practically begging for this one!_

**I’m not really a fan of Mom crying.**

Hmm... looks like Chara's in a good mood. Normally they'd have ignored me until the world resets. 

_Wasn’t it you who wanted to see what would happen?_

**…I suppose. It still felt better with her dust on my hands though** , they mumbled thoughtfully. 

_And why’s that?_

They went silent, as usual. It's progress, at least. That doesn't make it any less irritating at times though. Grin and bear it, grin and bear it. 

 _Look, Chara, don’t you think that there might be a better alternative as opposed to just killing them?_  

**We've been through this already. I'm not stupid. No more killing. I haven’t killed anyone in a long time.**

While Chara doesn't really get angry or emotional about anything, they still get frustrated very often. His tone never changes, and yet it's easy to tell when they're swinging into one of their moods. I decided to go with the other approach.

_I know, you’re doing great, Chara! I’m proud of you!_

**Whatever. What’s next?**

_Hmm… how about we try and run past Papyrus before we battle him?_ I suggested.

**That’s different I guess. When do I get control?**

_How about Waterfall up until Mettaton EX? Assuming everything stays the same, of course. I know you want to see how long you can last against Undyne’s spears, haha._

**Hmm… what are we betting?**

_If you last fifteen minutes without taking damage, I’ll let you fight Asgore this time._

I knew that would get Chara. Asgore’s the one fight where Frisk has to actually fight, which is why it’s a real treat for Chara when they're allowed control. It doesn’t quite sate the still-murderous tendencies lurking within Chara, but it’s a compromise I’m willing to give them sometimes if they behave.

The world shimmered, indicating that the reset will happen any moment.

**…Okay. Ready?**

_Mhm!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this was meant to open some questions that will be explained in the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed, and like I said, any constructive criticism is more than welcome!


	2. Yet Another Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, criticism is more than welcome!

As Frisk slept at Toriel’s house, Chara did as well in the back of my mind. They're always bored of the Ruins, which I’m thankful for, as it gives me time to think to myself. Flowey annoyed him as usual, but they couldn’t complain, seeing as how Flowey is just recycled tutorial text at this point.

We’ve opted to only use true resets over regular resets a while ago. An incident with Flowey after resetting 15 times in quick succession made us realize that we preferred it if no one remembered. No one other than us, that is. It was Chara’s idea, they wanted to push Flowey as close to the edge as possible.

Long story short, Flowey finally snapped, and didn’t care whether or not Chara was his close friend. He still wasn't sure that it was actually Chara. He started killing us the moment we woke up on the flowerbed, before Toriel even noticed. After a few times, Chara finally grew tired of that experiment.

**Damn Asriel! Let me kill him. We can do a true reset after. Just let me kill him!**

Looking back on it, I think that was the closest Chara’s been to actually getting angry. They've never really liked Asriel, despite their apparent former friendship.

_Well, it was your idea, Chara. Hehe, he really riled you up._

**… I still don’t understand you. How are you always so calm?**

_I’m not sure, honestly. I was always the mediator among my friends when I was alive. I have quite a bit of patience, haha._

**Yes, you do. You really do.**

Oh, right, I should probably explain who I am. I apologize if I rush this a bit, I’m not good at telling stories, especially about myself.

 

People start with their name, right? Well, my name’s not really that important. All you should know is that I was the second fallen human who arrived sometime after Chara’s death. I've forgotten what the color of my SOUL was, although I like to imagine that it was lavender. It's my favorite color, after all.

I’m female, I think, and I was around thirteen when I died. Physically, I was older than Chara and Frisk by around a year. How I died is also not important, although it is a little embarrassing. All you need to know is that I woke up inside Frisk one day along with the psychopath you know as Chara. It was a very confusing conversation, to say the least. Frisk was initially surprised that the ghosts of two other kids now lives within them, although they adapted quickly. Too quickly. It immediately dawned on me that their past wasn't a pleasant one, and Frisk got the impression that I knew. They never brought it up, and I never asked. It's best to let sleeping dogs lie, you know? 

Also, just to clarify, Frisk is androgynous in appearance only. I just refer to them as gender-neutral for their sake is all. Frisk couldn't figure out if they were a guy or a girl, and while I eventually found out, I chose to keep that one of my few closely guarded secrets. I could tell that Frisk was curious, but the thought of knowing made them extremely uncomfortable for some reason. Chara on the other hand knew what their gender was, they just never told us. Chara was so secretive about their gender that they gave Frisk a headache the one time they asked. Based on gender quirks alone, these two are the strangest people I've ever met, and I loved it, even if Chara hadn't. 

Speaking of whom, Chara and I never really got along, although I made an effort to. They're a very conflicted individual who always seemed to have an ulterior motive behind everything, and that motive often involved violence. They'd always made deals with Frisk, as Frisk was usually the one controlling the body. Whenever Chara wasn't being condescending, they were extremely quiet. Frisk and I could never tell what Chara was truly thinking, and they liked it that way. 

Unbeknownst to Frisk, Chara and I both lack SOULs, and therefore emotions. Despite that, I like to pretend that I can feel them, and to this day I remain as optimistic as possible. I'm sure that if I still had my SOUL, I'm sure I'd feel pity for Chara. The poor kid hasn’t had a happy life, or death for that matter.

The relationship between us three was a very interesting one. For starters, Frisk was mute, even in their own head. We mostly communicated through intent rather than words, and it was surprisingly effective. We also couldn't keep secrets from each other without extreme effort. We may have individual minds, but we all shared one still-developing brain.

Of the three of us, Frisk had the dominant control of the body, due to their Determination. Frisk was a very kind-hearted kid though, they allowed us control from time to time due to their sharing-is-caring attitude. Well, it was offered to me mainly, Chara almost managed to kill something each time they had the body, and always with a maniacal grin.

Not only that, Chara once managed to steal control for a few minutes while Frisk was sleeping. After that incident, we realized that Chara's defining trait is also Determination, meaning they could sneak control away again if Frisk wasn't careful. This freaked Frisk out, and they decided that body-sharing was too dangerous, so not even I was allowed control after that. I didn't mind though, and Frisk still treated us like close friends. Over time, Chara became less of a companion and more of a third wheel, although Frisk and I tried our best to get along with them. 

Oops, I might have gotten off on a tangent. I apologize, these are just some fond memories of mine.  

I thought I could work together with Chara to guide Frisk out of the Underground. The possibility of peace between humans and monsters was what I wanted more than anything at the time. Chara was more or less indifferent, or so we thought. After we freed the monsters, Frisk and I internally celebrated, imagining how ambassador life would be. While Frisk walked with Toriel, we made the mistake of letting our guard down for a moment. 

 **It's too soon for a happy ending** , Chara had said.  **We're doing things my way.**

Before we could stop Chara, they jumped off the cliff, to Toriel's utter shock. After that fall, I remember nothing except Chara's laughter. For the first time since I've known them, Chara laughed. Right then and there, I believed I knew what fear felt like. 

When Frisk and I came to, Frisk's body was kneeling in the dust of Toriel, smiling that maniacal smile.

**You're just now awake? You missed the best part.**

Chara was wrong. The "best part" was only the beginning.

Chara stormed through the Underground like a cold, relentless vengeance, and I could only sit back in his mind and watch. Chara kept us there like prisoners, under a lock and key only they could visualize. Frisk tried many, many times to get their body back, but to no avail. Chara's mental defenses were too high. As for myself, I was completely powerless without Determination. It was like trying to break bonds that were made of tempered steel. 

After Undyne killed Chara, I was relieved… until I realized that it meant another reset. Once Chara realized that they were still in control, he couldn't stop laughing. Frisk and I were horrified; Chara was effectively immortal, and would _never_ stop.

Eventually, Chara reached the Final Corridor. The challenge Sans gave him was like no other, and despite the sunlight in the corridor, I've never experienced such a cold atmosphere. It took Chara 72 tries, but they finally succeeded and reached LV 20. It dawned on Chara just how much power they had. After a moment of consideration, Chara did the unthinkable: They destroyed the world. 

Chara didn't do it for any particular reason, only because they could. I've never witnessed anything more evil, more childish, in my entire life or death. 

As Frisk and I floated in limbo, we could only think about how horrible Chara’s actions were. Frisk felt unbelievable amounts of guilt, it was their body doing the killing after all. Chara's voice spoke to us, and offered Frisk one final deal. Frisk took a while to consider their two options, and despite none of this being their fault, they eventually felt that they had to atone. As much as I begged them not to, Frisk ended up selling their SOUL to restore the world.

When we woke up on the bed of flowers again, I realized that I was in control of Frisk’s body. I don’t know how, and I don't know why, but I’ve had dominant control ever since. I’d offer to give Frisk their body back… but they really did sell their SOUL to Chara. I couldn't feel Frisk's presence anymore. I don't know what Chara's done with Frisk's SOUL, and I don't think they ever plan to tell me. They're more secretive about the location of the SOUL than their own gender.

For a while, I was at odds with Chara. Here I was, sharing a body with the most evil being to have ever existed. Chara themselves was outraged that I'd been given control, and despite their best efforts, couldn't swipe it away from me. Once I realized that brushing off Chara was as easy as scratching Frisk's arm, I decided to ignore them and get the best possible ending I could to make it up to Frisk. I'm sure that they would have been happy if I saw their dream through.

I don’t know what Chara did when they committed suicide that first time, or even when they restored the world, but they placed this world in limbo somehow. Every time I free the monsters, several minutes after Toriel leaves the clearing, time loops back all the way to the start of the ruins. Every time. I discovered that if I jump off the cliff after Toriel leaves, it results in a true reset, in which even Flowey doesn’t remember. I’m still not quite sure how the process works myself, to be honest. 

I never quite got over Frisk's death. It’s funny, I’m faster to forgive than most, and it still took me over two hundred resets to forgive Chara. I’ve almost lost count of just how many times we’ve reset in total, but luckily I have a particularly good memory with math. Ever since I've gotten permanent control of Frisk's body, the world has reset 924 times. 

I’ve been trying to reform Chara ever since I’ve forgiven him. No matter how many times I repeat this journey, I haven’t killed a monster once, much to Chara’s annoyance. They’re slowly improving though, thankfully. After a few hundred resets, I decided to give him control during small sections, such as running from Undyne's spears. One of my favorite moments was when they, after a solid minute of contemplation, decided to spare Papyrus. He managed to spare Papyrus for the entire battle, imagine that!

The real reason I'm trying to reform Chara, however, is not because I've forgiven him. Chara knows what they've done with Frisk's SOUL, and I'm hoping they'll finally open up one day and return Frisk to their body. It's a long shot, it's probably a hopeless one, but it's all I can do now. 

Anyway, I try and spice things up for us whenever I can. I do my best to be unpredictable with my choices, however I’m sure we’ve seen just about every possible ending by now. To this day, I’m honestly not sure what Chara thinks of me. Hopefully we’re at least becoming acquaintances. I fear the day Chara once again regains control, and I just hope that I’m influencing him in a positive way before that happens. For an impatient kid, however, they're showing an impressive amount of self-control. After 924 resets, you’d think he’d lose it. Heck, I've come close to losing it myself a few times, despite being able to persevere all this time. In fact, I-

**I’ve been thinking…**

Oh, they're up. _Hm?_

**Can… can I have control when we talk to Sans?**

Chara said these words very carefully. This can’t be good. Sans shouldn’t remember the true resets, but he’s extremely good at reading people and judging their character. Every instinct of mine is screaming to deny this one request. However, Chara deserves a reward after his behavior on the last timeline, don't they? Besides, Chara never asks for favors, only demands them. This is, as Papyrus would say, another improvement. 

_Sure, just promise me you won’t do anything drastic. Pretend you’re Frisk like usual._

**Nooo problem.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fleshed out the MC and her relationship with Frisk and Chara a bit. I hope it wasn't too long. =P


	3. The Separation

As Frisk left the warmth of the Ruins and placed a foot in the snow, I hesitated. Should I really give him control for anything Sans-related? It’s something I haven’t done before. I mean, Chara’s not the kind to ask for favors, so this must be important to them. What's Chara planning with this? 

They, of course, could tell what I was thinking.

**Relax. If I do anything wrong, you can take back the body.**

That's another thing. Chara doesn't refer to Frisk as Frisk, just "the body." Still, they have a point. Am I being overly cautious? In the hundreds of times I've reset, I've always been able to force control back with ease. Sure, Chara hasn’t killed anyone on my watch, and even seems to have changed to an extent. They don't really think about killing anymore, thankfully, despite how bored they always are. It should work out, I hope.

Before long, I heard the telltale footfalls of a particular monster behind me. 

_You’re up, Chara. Behave for me, alright?_

**Yeah, yeah. Frisk is mute. ASL all the way.**

_You’ll do fine!_

With that, I handed over Frisk's body to Chara. The transition was, as always, seamless and smooth. Nobody, even Sans, could suspect a thing, right? 

“H u m a n,” the skeleton started. “D o n ‘ t  y o u  k n o w  h o w  t o  g r e e t  a  n e w  p a l ?”

Chara swiftly turned around, startling Sans. An eerie smile was on their face.

“Greetings,” Chara said slowly.

 _What are you doing?!_ I demanded.

 **Watch**.  **Just watch.**

I really should have wrestled control from him at this point, but I was curious myself as to what Chara was up to. Well, curiosity killed the Temmie is what Snowdrake once said on a particularly negative day. In hindsight, this was never a good idea to begin with. Well, this trainwreck has already started, might as well see it through, right? I just have remain optimistic and watch, this is Chara's big moment, and that's the one thing they're asking of me. 

Turns out, that was the worst decision I've made in a long time. 

“so, finally decided to show yourself?” Sans said, his eyes darkening immediately, and his expression as unreadable as ever. Chara paused, and I... I really had no words. 

“Mmm. When did you figure it out?” Chara asked after a moment.

“since the first reset, but that's besides the point. tell me, kid, it was you all along, wasn’t it?”

“Correct. I’ve been in control of their soul the entire time.” Frisk said, voice dripping like sweet honey. I can't stand that talent of theirs sometimes.

Sans shrugged, the pinpricks in his eyes reappearing. “looks like it. _tibia_ honest, i wasn’t sure why you haven’t anyone killed since the first timeline. in fact, why are you talking to me now, after all this time?”

“That's easy. I got bored, so Frisk is locked up for the moment.”

_Frisk is gone, Chara. Where are you going with this?_

**You’ll see…**

Enough is enough. I need to take control back before this gets out of hand, and I definitely need to kill myself and reset. This is so unfortunate, Chara single-handedly erased a few hundred resets worth of progress. This does, however, raise a few interesting questions that I have to credit Chara for. The thought of Sans being aware of my existence was... new! It was different! 

Good gosh, was this how Flowey felt? 

Right, Frisk. It's time to take back Frisk's body end this run. Chara has, as usual when they get like this, put up mental walls around himself. This is so that I can't forcibly take the reins back that easily. This isn’t a problem though, I just have to push forward and...

“So, anyway, you know of my resets. How?” Chara asked, smile widening slightly.  

Nothing's happening. Chara's still talking to Sans. I pushed with more force…

**Now isn't _this_ ironic? Go ahead. Keep trying. **

“memories don’t survive the resets, but with a little effort, some things can. courtesy of an old friend, ya know? of course, you must know how much i hate effort.”

I tried once again to take control, to establish my authority, but nothing's working. Nothing's working!

Frisk raised an eyebrow. “And?”

_Chara, stop being so difficult! Give me back control before this gets out of hand!_

**No. I don't think I will. This is intriguing.**

“kid, i don’t know where you’re going with this, but i have a bone to pick with you. do you know how long i’ve been waiting for this moment, pal?”

Frisk frowned again. “Get to the point. I only did this because I was curious.”

“well, my point is, you won’t be doing this any longer."

"Oh?" Chara cocked their head.

"give frisk their SOUL back. now.”

“Or what?” They challenged.

“i won’t tell you again,” Sans threatened, his eyes becoming blacker than a void. “G i v e  F r i s k  t h e i r  S O U L.”

Chara just stood there, with their creepy smile growing.

Sans closed his eyes. “hehe, so much for negotiating. well, here goes nothing.”

When Sans opened his eyes, the left one glowed, like a blue electric fire. It’s something I haven’t seen in a long time, and something I hoped to have never seen again. Sans raised one hand, and Frisk’s soul glowed blue.

Wait, Frisk’s soul?!

**Haha. Hahahahaha! He actually fell for it.**

_Fell for what? Chara, what did you do?! Remember, Frisk's body is mine now! I’m the one with control here!_

**Too bad. You were never in control.**

Sans crossed his arms together in a scissors-like motion.

_Chara! What’s go---_

**Farewell, partner.**

That was the last thing I heard before everything went white.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, well. Chara just made his move.


	4. finally. is it over?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More exposition, but from a different perspective! Sorry, and yet not sorry.

“huff… puff…” Sans wheezed, strained from the effort. He looked at the prone body of Frisk, finally freed of the demon that had possessed them. Messing with the SOUL of a human is something he’s never tried before, and will never try again. It’s not exactly a safe technique. One wrong move, and he could have permanently damaged their SOUL, or destroyed his own.

Well, it worked out, and Sans isn’t about to look a gift Aaron in the mouth. Sans stood up and walked closer to Frisk, and… man, that freakish smile was still on their face. They were unconscious though, at least for now.  

Technically, this is the first time he’s ever met Frisk. He doesn’t remember the past timelines, only those with determination do. However, from inter-dimensional notes and tally marks he’s taken, he knows everything he needs to know about Frisk. They’re almost too nice for their own good, preferring mercy over violence, a quality most monsters don't believe exist in humans. Frisk is almost as cool as Papyrus in that regard.

Sans is well aware that the being who corrupted Frisk is, in fact, the first human. It wasn’t easy to figure out, but little hints here and there over hundreds of resets helped him slowly piece it together. The first clue is that Frisk was wearing the locket when they fought Sans, before the resets started happening. As the other clues slowly fell into place, it became a dead giveaway. That was Chara Dreemurr’s locket, something made for him by Prince Asriel, and something that the two of them deeply cherished. It's still unfathomable as to how a human SOUL came to merge with another human SOUL, then again weirder things have happened.

At first the resets bothered him. They still do, but recently he understood why Frisk was doing it. They’re stubbornly determined, but they’re not stupid. Frisk has been constantly resetting the timeline to prevent that demon child from escaping to the surface and destroying everything.

Despite what the first human told them, Sans knows that they’re not in control all the time. Chara's appearances are actually fairly rare. Sans has been observing Frisk time and time again, and only after the first few hundred resets did he see the shift happen with his own eyes. When Chara takes control, Frisk's posture becomes straighter, more aggressive, and their eyes are actually visible. Those demonic eyes glow a hellish red whenever Chara's dominating the body, the same shade as Frisk's SOUL.

From his notes, Sans learned that Chara was recently getting control more and more often. One time it was against Papyrus, and the human had come very close to killing him. Whether or not that was intentional by Frisk is up for debate. Still, that was too close for comfort. Sans decided to take matters into his own hands, but he couldn't do that until the opportunity presented itself.

He only had one option, really, without risking a reset. He had to separate Chara from Frisk, therefore eliminating the threat, and allowing the timeline to possibly stabilize. He’d apologize to Frisk later. However, he could only risk that move once Chara was revealed, else he risks giving Chara the body. It took a few more dozen resets, but Chara finally gave Sans the opportunity he needed. Where the little freak is right now, Sans doesn’t know, and right now he doesn’t care.

Sans studied the body. The presence within Frisk's SOUL was gone, which means that the threat was as well. Still, something doesn’t seem right…

”SANS!” Papyrus called from the distance, the stomping of his boots getting closer to the bridge.

Well, he’ll worry about it later. He’ll keep an eye on the human for now. Sans turned to face Papyrus, who was on the other side of the bridge.

“sup, bro,” Sans said as if nothing happened.

“YOU KNOW WHAT ‘SUP’ BROTHER! IT’S BEEN EIGHT DAYS AND YOU STILL HAVEN’T… RECALIBRA… WAIT, WHAT IS THAT BEHIND YOU?”

Papyrus jumped over his own gate and landed valiantly besides his brother. If Sans wasn’t so drained, he’d be amazed at Papyrus's constant energy.

“IS… IS THAT A HUMAN?”

“yes.”

“OH MY GOD, SANS! YOU DEFEATED THEM?” Papyrus said, clearly not believing such a thing was possible.

“more or less,” Sans shrugged.

“OH MY GOD! SANS, AS MUCH AS I WANTED THEM TO BE THOROUGLY JAPED BY PUZZLES, I’M SO PROUD OF YOU! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE A BROTHER WHO FINALLY ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING!”

“what can i say? i’ve worked myself down…”

“SANS DON’T RUIN THE MOMENT! I’M JUST NOW STARTING TO HAVE FAITH IN YOU!”

Before Sans could deliver, the human twitched in their sleep, which both skeletons immediately noticed. Papyrus, thankfully, didn’t seem to notice their uncanny smile.

“WE HAD BETTER CAPTURE THEM BEFORE THEY WAKE UP! SANS, PREPARE THE DOGHOUSE!”

“on it, bro.”

Papyrus hoisted Frisk over his shoulder and began the trek back to Snowdin. After a moment, Sans went in the other direction. He needed to investigate something, and he still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Very wrong.


	5. Trouslin' Some Bones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really, really hope I'm writing the skeleton brothers correctly.

_I awoke to find myself lying on a bed of flowers with pain flaring in my right arm. It’s definitely broken. After looking around at my surroundings for a minute, I realized that I was in some sort of cavern, with a pinprick of light appearing from the hole in the ceiling. The flowers must have broken my fall. Honestly, it’s a miracle I survived, falling from that sort of distance._

_A creature entered the cavern from an interesting doorway. Because of the creature’s unique appearance, my mind somehow registered the doorway first. It was definitely old-fashioned, like something you’d see from old Roman architecture or something. What was it doing in a cave like this?_

_When the creature approached, I finally registered it’s appearance. It was unexpected, to say the least. It looked like a bipedal humanoid goat, wearing robes that indicated it was a royal. It had a very regal way of carrying itself, and it had a gentle yet cautious demeanor._

_“Hello there, young one! I am Qu—Toriel, guardian of these Ruins. Please, do not be afraid.” She said, with a deep feminine voice. At least, I assume this creature was female. Those robes she’s wearing aren’t the kind of clothes my dad would wear. She's probably a queen of some kind, or maybe all goat-creatures dressed up like this?_

_Am I dreaming or something? No, I can’t be, the pain in my arm is very real. Just a few minutes ago I was hiking, and now I’m talking to something that clearly isn’t human. I clutched the shoulder of my broken arm, hoping that she was as friendly as she seemed._

_“My child, are you alright? Here, let me see your arm,” she said, as gentle and as caring as my grandmother. I decided to trust her, and I offered my arm._

_Holding it gently, she waved a hand over it slowly, and the pain quickly vanished. I looked up at her with renewed curiosity._

_“Child, I cannot promise much for now, as I have become guardian only recently. However, would you consider staying with me? What is mine would become yours, should you find my company to your liking.”_

_This was all too confusing, but I found myself nodding all the same. I have no one else to turn to, after all. I don’t even know where I am._

_“Thank you. Now come, innocent one, and follow me.”_

 

* * *

 

My eyes shot open, and the first thing I noticed is that this wasn’t Frisk’s body. I’m hairless all over, my limbs are too long, and I can’t feel the warmth of my skin. Actually, I can’t feel skin, period. I really can’t describe what this feels like. My sense of touch is different, but it doesn’t feel entirely wrong either. It's like trying to use fingernails for sensation rather than the fingers themselves.

Almost at once, I felt an overwhelming rush of energy. Most of it felt like magic, while the rest was just pure unbridled energy. Whoever I’m inhabiting isn’t human, that’s for sure. Wait, am I wearing… armor? I appear to be lying in some sort of bed, who wears their armor and boots to bed?

This energy was too much. Way too much! I bolted upright in my… racecar bed? I turned my head, and noticed the other unique features of the room. There’s a computer off in the corner, a pirate flag hanging on the wall… action figures…

Oh god. Of _all_ the monsters…

“papyrus, you okay in there, bro? its not like you to be _bone_ tired like this,” called a familiar voice from the other side of the door.

“I’m fi—I MEAN, THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS ALWAYS AWAKE! AND SANS, YOU STOP WITH THOSE PUNS! YOU INDECENT CLOWN!” I quickly and very awkwardly responded back.

That wasn't convincing in the slightest. What if he finds out? Oh, god, I can’t do this…

“err… okay, bro. you feelin’ alright?”

“NEVER BETTER! NYEH HEH HEEEEH!”

“well, ill be downstairs then,” Sans said, walking down the stairs slowly.

**WOWIE! YOU HANDLED THAT BETTER THAN I EXPECTED! YOU'RE LIKE A SECOND ME, WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE SINE NO ONE CAN BE AS GREAT AS I AM! SO... WHO ARE YOU, MYSTERIOUS PERSON? AND WHY CAN’T I MOVE MY BODY?**

I sighed with Papyrus’s mouth, not questioning how it’s possible without lungs. Why must I do this? This is going to be one long explanation…

 

* * *

 

One half-rushed story later, and Papyrus was full of questions, rightfully so. I tried my best to answer them, but I’m nowhere near close to understanding this situation myself. This whole thing’s, and Papyrus himself, is giving me a headache. I didn’t even know it was possible for skeletons to even have headaches. Isn't it just empty space?

I mean, it’s not that I dislike Papyrus, it’s just that his energy is a bit too much for me sometimes. To be honest, I’ve learned how to tune him out after a few timelines, despite how loud he gets. However, that isn’t the case anymore, considering that we share the same head now. Fun.

**YOU’RE THE SECOND HUMAN THAT FELL? WOWIE! I’VE NEVER TALKED TO A HUMAN BEFORE!!**

If he says “Wowie” one more time, I swear…

_Yeah, I guess you could say that._

**SO THE HUMAN ON OUR COUCH IS NAMED FRISK? AND YOU WERE IN THEIR BODY?**

_Up until now, yep. I don’t know how I got over into your body, but it probably had to do with Ch--_

**ARE YOU A GHOST?**

_I suppose I am._

**I DIDN’T KNOW GHOSTS COULD POSSESS OTHERS! WELL, EXCEPT FOR METTATON, BUT HE’S COOL TO BEGIN WITH!!**

_I… never thought about that. I mean, I don’t think so, considering they weren’t human to begin with. Were they human when they were alive?_

**HMM… I’M NOT SURE.**

Papyrus was silent for moment before answering his next question.

**SAY, HUMAN… DO YOU KNOW HOW I CAN MOVE MY OWN BODY AGAIN? SHARING IS CARING, AND I’M ALREADY LATE FOR MY PATROL!**

_Oh, sure thing! Sorry, Sans must have been waiting forever for you._

I gave control to Papyrus, surprised at how easy it was. Huh, I guess even when Chara wanted control, he was always a bit of a rebel. I never really noticed how much resistance he was always giving me, but with Papyrus accepting it so easily, there was a noticeable difference. I moved into the back of his mind to allow a full, seamless transition. Papyrus immediately straightened into his usual, resolute posture.

"THANK YOU, NEW FRIEND! LET'S PREPARE FOR THE DAY WITH A PLATE OF SPAGHETTI!!"

_Shh, not so loud, Papyrus! You can still talk to me in your head, kind of like thinking to yourself._

**LIKE THIS, HUMAN?**

_Exactly, nice job!_

**NYEH HEH HEH! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE MASTERED TELEPATHIC COMMUNICATION!!** _  
_

His yelling is really starting to get to me. Instead of replying back with another compliment, I just stayed silent, hoping he would decide to start the day already. Papyrus took the hint and started moving towards his door.

**HUMAN, I HAVE A QUESTION. WOULD YOU MIND IF...**

Papyrus paused, and it took me a moment to answer. He isn't normally one to be so hesitant about... anything, really. Still, he  _is_ Papyrus, he has nothing to hide. 

 _Sure,_ _shoot._

**WHY ARE WE BEING SECRETIVE ABOUT THIS? I'M SURE SANS WOULD UNDERSTAND, HE IS THE BROTHER OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND ALL!**

Well, I suppose he has something to hide now.

_Oh, well, the thing about him is..._

As soon as Papyrus swung open his door, we were both surprised to see Sans just standing there practically in the doorway. He was looking up at Papyrus with a very intrigued expression. Well, it’s as unreadable as usual, but Sans normally wouldn’t confront his brother about anything.

“hey, bro, mind letting me talk to your friend?”

“OH, SO YOU NOTICED! VERY WELL, BROTHER! PLEASE TREAT MY NEW FRIEND WITH EQUALLY MUTUAL FRIENDSHIP! NYEH HEH HEH!"

Just like that, I was shoved back into the controls, stumbling awkwardly into the doorway with Papyrus's unusually lanky body. Apparently Papyrus is better at this whole possession thing than I am. Sans backed up, allowing me to get my bearings. When I looked back at him, he was still staring at me, and I just stared at him back. He took a step forward, scrutinizing me closely.

“H-hey, Sans,” I fumbled, making clacking sounds with Papyrus's jaw. 

“heya,” he replied, placing his hands into his jacket. “so, you’re the other one, huh?”


End file.
